Pros Return on investment: The money you pay into your property stays there, and if you own it long enough, it’s an asset that will increase in value. The same is true when you build, but not when you rent. Ownership: Owning your own property means you can do what you like with it, within

Buying a finished property means you’ll be sinking a sizable chunk of money into a relatively illiquid asset in a developing country. This means a couple of things. First, that you can look on this outlay of resources as an investment. In the long-run, you will probably sell the property for more than you bought

Buying a home gives you more opportunity to pick a place that fits your taste, as well as to make changes as you wish. When renting, you are beholden to a landlord. When owning, you are not. There are a few different degrees of flexibility when buying a finished home. One, if you buy the

Owning property means that you have to take charge of its upkeep. That means paying condo fees, hiring local help, or taking on the work yourself. It also means paying taxes. Fortunately, none of these things are really costly in Costa Rica. Condo fees won’t exceed $100 a month unless you’re living in a complex

The first thing to ask yourself is why you want to be in Costa Rica. Vacation? Sabbatical? Change of pace? Retirement? Moving your family? From there, ask yourself how long you will stay in Costa Rica. Five years? Ten? Twenty? Maybe just a month out of the year? Or the rest of your life? The